Enhanced Communication Via RFID Interrogator

Abstract

An RFID portal is enhanced to provide communication capability to RFID communication enabled devices. Such devices include cameras, PDAs, voice communicator, keyboards, displays, indicators, storage devices, etc. Devices are made RFID communication enabled by providing them with an RFID interface and an RFID tag “front end”. Such an enhanced device communicates with an enhanced portal via an RFID reader/interrogator associated with the portal. The portal may have connection to other communication channels, such as an Ethernet tie to a network, a landline phone connection, a cellular interface, an 802.11 connection, a Bluetooth channel, etc. Such connections allow an RFID communication enabled device to communicate beyond the enhanced portal to the outside world.

1 . An RFID tag system, comprising:
 an RFID portal having an RFID interrogator associated therewith; and   a device having an RFID transponder and a communication interface whereby data can be communicated between the device and the portal via a communication channel established between the RFID transponder and the RFID interrogator.   
   
   
       2 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the device is a camera. 
   
   
       3 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the device is a keypad. 
   
   
       4 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the device is a PDA. 
   
   
       5 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the device is a communicator. 
   
   
       6 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the device is a phone. 
   
   
       7 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the portal has a peripheral unit attached thereto and wherein the device is able to access the peripheral via a communication link established between the RFID transponder and the RFID interrogator. 
   
   
       8 . A system according to  claim 7  wherein the peripheral unit is a mass storage device. 
   
   
       9 . A system according to  claim 7  wherein the peripheral unit is a display. 
   
   
       10 . A system according to  claim 7  wherein the peripheral unit is a speaker transducer. 
   
   
       11 . A system according to  claim 7  wherein the peripheral unit is a communication port. 
   
   
       12 . A method for operating an RFID system including an interrogator, comprising:
 fitting a device with an RFID transponder to form a transponder fitted device;   communicating information between the device to the interrogator via an RFID communication channel established between the transponder and the interrogator.   
   
   
       13 . A method according to  claim 12  wherein the communicating comprises:
 modulating information onto a backscatter signal transmitted from the transponder.   
   
   
       14 . A method according to  claim 12  wherein the communicating comprises:
 demodulating a signal transmitted from the interrogator and received at the transponder.   
   
   
       15 . A method according to  claim 12  further comprising:
 operating the interrogator to regularly transmit an interrogation signal; and   periodically check for the presence of a device having a transponder.   
   
   
       16 . A method according to  claim 12  wherein the communicating comprises sending data from the transponder fitted device to the interrogator. 
   
   
       17 . A method according to  claim 12  wherein the communicating comprises sending data from the interrogator to the transponder fitted device. 
   
   
       18 . An RFID portal arrangement, comprising:
 an interrogator constructed and arranged to transmit an interrogation signal and receive a backscatter signal from an RFID transponder; and   control logic constructed and arranged so as to be operative to:   determine the presence of an RFID transponder fitted device,   establish communication between the interrogator and the RFID transponder fitted device.   
   
   
       19 . An RFID portal arrangement according to  claim 18  further comprising:
 a communication port constructed and arranged to permit the interrogator to communicate with an object other than the transponder fitted device.